Tyson loses his cool in the second bout with Holyfield
Tyson's controversial defeat at the hands of the aging Holyfield led many to believe that his career was finished. But enduring financial troubles, including $13 million in debt from back taxes, lured Tyson back into the ring through the late 1990s and early 2000s. Tyson took steps to bring more discipline to his fighting and his life. He parted ways with Don King in a flurry of lawsuits. He married again, this time to a pediatrician. His training regimen became steadier and he returned to the ring, making mountains of cash against opponents who offered little opposition. Tyson scored easy victories over British champion Julius Francis in Manchester, England, in February of 2000 and Brian "Danish Pastry" Nielsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October of 2001. "I'm back," Tyson said after the latter victory.
Despite these positive steps, Tyson's public behavior became increasingly angry and irrational. In March of 1999 he spent a short time in jail after pleading no contest to two misdemeanor assault charges stemming from a road rage incident. Following a 2000 match in which he defeated Lou Savarese in 38 seconds, Tyson told the assembled media, "I am the most ruthless, brutal champion ever. I am Sonny Liston and Jack Dempsey. There is no one who can match me." He saved his most bizarre remarks for a future opponent, heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. "I want your heart. I want to eat your children," Tyson proclaimed of Lewis.
Upon hearing of Tyson's comments, Lewis remarked that "Mike Tyson is a train wreck waiting to happen." His predication came true in January of 2002, when a press conference announcing a match between Tyson and Lewis became a fierce brawl between the entourages surrounding the two fighters, ending with Tyson biting Lewis on the leg. Boxing commentator Ferdie Pacheco told The Sporting News that "someone needs to put Tyson in a hospital for a year. He has no self-control and is filled with self-loathing."
The Tyson-Lewis fight, scheduled for June of 2002 in Memphis, Tennessee, was given a huge build-up in the press, and the fighters were kept from seeing each other prior to the match. Though the fight set records with pay-per-view sales of $103 million, it hardly met expectations. Lewis took command early and appeared to toy with an overmatched Tyson for the early rounds. Then, in the eighth, he leveled Tyson with a hard right to the head.
Tyson was oddly tender after the fight. He hugged his opponent and then, noticing that he had left blood on the champion's cheek, reached up and gently wiped his face. Tyson proclaimed that Lewis "was splendid, a masterful boxer, and I take my hat off to him." Asked about a rematch, Tyson said, "I'd be crazy to ask for a rematch. He's too big and too strong. I mean, for the right price, I'll fight a lion. But I don't think I can beat that guy."
Though the Lewis match clearly showed Tyson to be past his prime, his reputation and ability to draw fans continue to draw fight promoters looking to cash in on the spectacle of a Tyson match. Late in 2003, speculation swirled that he might fight champion Roy Jones, perhaps in Eastern Europe or Russia. The bigger fight facing Tyson seemed to be in the courtroom, where he tried to fend off his many creditors. Despite earning approximately $20 million from the Lewis fight, Tyson filed for bankruptcy in 2003.
Awards
WBC title, heavyweight champion, 1986; WBA title, 1987; IBF championship, 1987; WBC championship, 1996; WBA championship, 1996.